TMC candidates announced for civic polls: Amid ‘rift’ over list, Mamata says everyone cannot be made happy

A section of TMC supporters who were upset with the candidate list for 108 poll-bound municipalities continued their agitation for the third consecutive day on Monday. In districts like South 24 Parganas and East Midnapore, supporters took their grievances to local MLAs and block presidents. In many wards, the protesting leaders have announced that they will contest the election as independent candidates.

The protests also led senior leaders like Madan Mitra to speak out against the party. Mitra said, “What will Partha Chatterjee say? He does not even know the whole of Bengal properly.”

The announcement of TMC’s list was marred by confusion as two different lists of nominees were released on the party’s official website by Chaterjee and Bakshi on Friday.

After spotting the goof-up, the TMC leadership issued a statement that the list uploaded on the party’s website and Facebook page wasn’t approved by Banerjee. Nearly three hours later, Chatterjee told mediapersons that the party won’t publish a revised list of candidates. However, the final list was subsequently sent to the party unit presidents of the poll-bound districts.

Following the miscommunication, there were rumours that Mamata Banerjee was distancing herself with TMC’s poll strategist Prashant Kishor-led Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC).

However, Banerjee declined to say anything on the matter on Monday. “I would not say anything on I-PAC. That is our internal matter and that will be discussed within our party,” she said.

Reiterating the party supremo’s stance, TMC Secretary General Partha Chatterjee said, “I do what the TMC and Mamata Banerjee direct me to do. I have no deal with I-PAC.” Reacting to the goof-up, he said, “Those who did it, they can only say why they did. The party will take appropriate action at the appropriate time.”

He added that the party had decided on the candidate list after considering which leader will best serve the people.

Meanwhile, I-PAC members have maintained silence over the issue. “We have no signal to pack up in West Bengal yet,” said an I-PAC member on condition of anonymity. TMC sources said the reason behind the rumours could be the difference between the working styles of the party and I-PAC.